Marc Bremner Macdonald, Communications & Events, Dazed & AnOther Magazine, London
FASHION
INTERVIEW
3 MINUTE READ
Can you please introduce yourself? I know you’re from Scotland, right?
I’m Marc Bremner MacDonald. I’m 32 years old and I’m from a small seaside town called Brora in the Highlands of Scotland.
What’s your job title? And what does it actually mean?
I am the Marketing and Communications Manager at Dazed Media – home to Dazed, AnOther Magazine, Dazed Club, Dazed Beauty and more. I work on all aspects of the job, so anything marketing or comms related across all projects. Within the team structure, I report into the Director of Marketing and the Head of Events. I also manage and guide the Marketing Assistants within the team.
What does the day-to-day of this look like?
No one day is the same! You can either walk in knowing what you have to do, or something pops up last minute that needs to be turned around ASAP. Usually it’s working on marketing and comms plans for the events and projects we have lined up. This can include the next print issues of Dazed or AnOther, any media partnerships we have going on, coming up with exciting event ideas that have come in from brands and clients, or coming up with our own ideas and making them a reality. There is a lot of creative freedom which is great, but there’s also a lot of admin, like every job. Lists and timelines do help manage the amount of work and make sure we stay on track.
How did you get the job?
I studied BA Fashion Comms at London College of Fashion. As part of the course, you had to spend a term in an internship. I knew I didn’t want to work in-house or within the luxury world, it just wasn’t me. My lecturer helped and connected me with Dazed. I went in for an interview within the next couple of days. It was very chilled, our energy matched, and I have been there ever since. I’ve grown from intern to assistant, to executive and now manager!
What has been your career trajectory? What did you like or excel at in school? What was your pathway like in senior school and uni?
I was not academic at school. Looking back, school was a social experience for me. Being from a rural part of the country, there were not a lot of opportunities outside of school. I always thought about drama school, acting, something in performing arts. I still do think that’s where I need to be quite often. So, when I left high school, I had no plan set in place. Didn’t know what I should do, so I moved to Edinburgh to experience city life. I worked in retail and made a lot of friends. I had the best time, but then after a few years I knew I needed to take the next step. And that was London.
"At Dazed, I was immediately immersed in that world… That experience and the people I met through it was invaluable."
Do you think university or college helped you to get where you are, and if so, how?
I did the degree at LCF more to be able to stay in London than learn specifically. I studied and worked part time, so financially it was a great way to be here in London. I don’t come from family money so it was all on me to make a life here and to support myself with work. Being at university did help in guiding me to get into the internship at Dazed, but I learnt more in my internship at Dazed than I think I did throughout the course. At Dazed, I was immediately immersed in that world and how your job connects to all the areas across the industry. That experience and the people I met through it was invaluable.
What do you enjoy the most about what you do?
I like how each project is a little different to the last. The tasks are not really a copy and paste, over and over again. You can always change it up and be creative in your approach. Oh, and the people! The people I have met and made friends with across the industry have been amazing. I feel like I am part of something huge.
What are some of your favorite projects that you’ve worked on?
Making It Up As We Go Along! (since 2021)
Dazed’s monthly series of programmed talks for young creatives looking to get their foot in the door! This one was great to programme and get off the ground.
Fashion East 20th birthday party with Dazed and Browns (2020)
This was a lot of fun to work on, and even more fun to be at!
We took over Decimo at The Standard. The crowd was great and the DJ lineup was back to back amazing!
Dazed Live (2021)
In October of 2021, Dazed launched Dazed Live – a two-day festival at 180 Studios, inviting its readers to come behind the scenes at its HQ. This was two days of showcasing music, art, fashion, activism and more, all in aid of Centrepoint!
We programmed talent including Bree Runway, IB Kamara, Caleb Femi, Conor Ives, Michaela Stark, Asai, Simone Rocha, Pa Salieu, A’Whora and loads more.
For such a small team, it was a lot to programme such a large scale event – basically over 50 events in two days – but the outcome was amazing and the energy on the day was worth it!
What are the most challenging things about what you do?
You have to think fast and on your feet, and sometimes that brings self doubt in some decisions I make, or what I put out. It always works out, but that little voice in your head never leaves! It’s part of the job that helps you but it’s not always very comfortable.
What qualities or personality traits do you think make someone a strong candidate to flourish in your role?
I think it’s vital to be personable and approachable. It’s really important that you can connect with people in any situation, sometimes under a lot of pressure, like on the door of a fashion week event or a party. When things are stressful, you need to stay professional and warm!
What advice do you have for readers interested in getting into your field?
If marketing and communications is something you want to pursue then make sure you can have fun whilst doing it. Find a brand, company, publisher or agency that shares your interests if you can. You’ll probably enjoy it far more and do far better in an environment already adjacent to aspects of your life, as it’s a job where your work life and personal life unite!
LATEST THAT MAY INTEREST YOU
